BENNINGTON — A member of the Bennington Rural Fire Department was charged with a misdemeanor Monday after police said he pulled in front of a motorcycle while driving a fire truck Nov. 18 in Bennington, causing a crash that seriously injured the motorcycle rider.

Gregg Barr, 22, of Bennington, pleaded innocent Monday in Bennington criminal court to a misdemeanor count of negligent operation of a motor vehicle. Barr was released without bail.

In an affidavit, Officer Thomas Bull, of the Bennington Police Department, said police were notified of the crash, which took place in front of the Bennington Rural Fire Department West Road Station on Route 9 around 5:20 p.m. Nov. 18.

Bull said he spoke to the motorcycle rider, Kimberly Hathaway, 54, at the scene. He said she told him she had hit a firetruck that pulled into her lane.

Bull said Barr told him he hadn’t seen the motorcycle but told another officer he had sped up while turning from Route 9 into the fire station, so he could get out of the way of the oncoming motorcycle.

Police said they learned that Barr’s license required that he wear corrective lenses but Barr was not wearing them at the time of the crash.

Hathaway suffered numerous pelvic fractures and an open fracture to her right knee, as well as burns to the bottom of her left foot where it touched the motorcycle’s muffler.